Box-assembling machine.



1.1 MILLER BOX ASSEMBLING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16. I916.

L252,U14 Patented. Jan. 1,1918.

2 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

u lmmm' WITNESSES Ill/MENTOR ATTORNEYS 1.1. MILLER.

BOX ASSEMBLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAYIG,1916- 1,25z,o14. I Patented Jan. 1,1918.

WITNESSES INVENTOR TED STATES PATT,

FER

JOHN J. MILLER, or BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To is. N. BURT COMPANY, LIMITED, or TORONTO, CANADA, A coaroaATioN'or ONTARIO, CANADA.

BOX-ASSEMBLING MAOHINE.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jet 11,1918.

Application filed May 16, 1916. Serial No. 97,788.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Assembling Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to apparatus for assembling boxes and covers for boxes in closed relation, and with respect to its more specific features, to apparatus of the character referred to designed to operate upon separate boxes and covers made of paper, pasteboard or similar flexible material.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a simple construction to bring together a box and a cover so that they shall occupy a closed relation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a practical construction to automatically insert necked boxes inflanged covers, the boxes and covers being fed from supplies of such elements.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an efficient construction where- With to ease the insertion of boxes into the covers and thus, as far as possible, avoid defacing or destroying these elements.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the fol-' lowing claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and wherein simi-. lar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several viewe Figure 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan of the construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the construction shown in Figs.

1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view illustrating the position of the abutments when the neck of a box is first inserted in a cover therefor; p Fig. 5 i s a view of thepartsshown in Fig...

4, showing furtherprogressin the insertion of the neckin the cover, and also showinstance to form a covered cigarette box.

of rectangular form. Ordinarilysuch box elements are separately made and are as sembled, the covers with the respective boxes, before shipment to the place where cigarettes are placed there-in. To eflect such. assembly the present invention embodies a horizontal table, bed, or frame 1, to which are fixed pairs of upright standards 2, 2 and 3, 3, the elements of each pair-of stand, ards supporting guideways 4 for horizontally reciprocatory slides 5. The,slide's 5 are reciprocated toward and from each other for a purpose which will hereinafter appear I and to effect such reciprocationthe-slides are provided with dependin members or pins 6 and 7, one of which, as by means of a connecting rod 8, is pivoted to a crank pin 9 on a rotary disk 10 carried by a horizon- I tally disposed shaft 11 journaled .in bearings 12 on the upper face ofthe bed 1. The pin 6 of the other slide is pivotally connected to a rock leverl3, in turn. joined by a connecting rod 14 to an arm 15 laterally projecting from the pin 7. By.means of this construction the rotation of the shaft 11 causes the reciprocation of the slides in op-' j posite directions, their proximate ends approaching and receding from each other. The numerals 16'and 17 indicate a pair of box elements supporting abutments which,

in certain positions, are adapted to respec: tively support a boxand a cover, with the.

planes of the peripheral edges of these elements at an angle to each other, as, for in? h stance, illustrated in Fig. 3,. in which the] numeral 18 indicates the box and the. n u-v 1 meral 19 the cover.' The greatest angle begreatest '-distance, as; far instance, -illustrated in Fig. 3. When the abutments are in this position, boxes and covers are fed to position between the abutments, and lie against and are supported in generally upright position by the abutments. The boxes having assumed position between the abutments, as just explained, the rotation of the shaft 11 will cause the proximate ends of the slides 5 to approach each other sufliciently to effect the insertion of the box in the .cover by a translatory movement, as, illustrated in Fig. 4. In the present embodiment the box 18 is. provided with a neck 20, and by reference to Fig, 4 it will be observed that the lower side of the neck 20 has entered the box. This. preliminary or initial insertion is effected while the planes of the peripheral edges of these box elements are at an angle to each other, so that ,the outer edge of the neck readily enters the box and. escapes. the lower edge of the cover flange. During the approaching movement of the abutments, as just explained, the box and cover are additionally supported by the bed 1, the boxes and covers lying opposite the bed in certain positions of the abutments, and the bed comprising horizontal surfaces 21 and 22 along which the lower sides of the boxes slide and when .the boxes and covers have been completely assembled they will be disposed over an opening or passageway 23 in the bed, through which opening the assembled boxes and covers are delivered, either at. random into a basket. or to a, delivering device which operates to transfer them to some definite position.

.As, the abutments 16 and 17 move the boxes and covers toward each other the angular relationship. between the abutments is changed at a. predetermined point of ap proach, being decreased so that the angular relationship between the, planes of the peripheral edges of these; elements, is also decreased. This. decrease of the, angular relationship is preferably efiected after the initial insertion, as illustrated in Fig, 4, and to accomplish the samev the abutments are given arcuate movements in planesv parallel to the reciprocatory paths of the abutments consequent upon the movements of the slides 55. Preferably each abutment is pivotally supported on its slide, as at 24, 24, and is provided with a: dog 25, the same being a roller connected to. theabutment by an arm 26, thesev dogs being adapted. to cotiperate with abutment, rotating members, as stops 27., The, stops 27 comprise,v plates 28 fastened to the bed'i 1 and, on which the rollers: .25 roll, the proximate; ends, of the plates 28,-

being. curved upwardly in the path, v of the rollers 25,, so, thatv when: the abutments have reached, the; posit-ionin which. the; box has.

been, initially. inserted in; the coveras illustratedm. 151g, 4,, the dogs thereafter cw operate with the upturned portions 27 of the stops and are practically held from further movement toward each other at their lower ends. The approach of the upper portions of the abutments continues, however, after the dogs 25 have come in contact with the curved portions of the stops 2?, so that the upper sides of the box and cover will ap proach each other, pivoting, as it were, around the line of initial engagement, and thus the insertion of the remainder of the edge of the box in the cover is effected, the abutments 16 and 17 preferably eventually assuming parallel position. The pivotal arms of the abutmcnts are provided with flat faces or shoulders 29 to limit the pivotal movement of the abutments under the influence of the stop 27 and the relatively approaching ends of the slides 5. Arcuate movement of the abutments in the opposite direction is effected by springs 30 lying in chambers 31 in the proximate ends of the slides, the springs 30 bearing against the inner faces of the abutments.

In order to assist in positioning the boxes and covers 18 and 19 against their respective abutments when first received there'- against, the bed 1 is provided with inclined faces 82 below each abutment, the lower side of the respective box elements being adapted to rest against the inclines and thus have a natural tendency to lie against the abutments when the latter are in initial receiving position, as illustrated, for instance, in Fig, 3. The opening or passageway 23 is between the inclines 32 and is also preferably intermcdiate the ultimate approached position of the abutments.

Conveying mechanism is employed for antomatically feeding boxes and covers from supplies to position in front of the abutments l6 and 17 In the preferred embodiment the conveying mechanism comprises two endless belts 33 and 34 carried by pairs of rollers 35 and 36, the belts being in the same vertical plane and parallel to each other, the upper plies of the belts moving over a track, as the bottom of troughs 87, the proximate ends of which tracks are curved, as at 38, to line with the abutments when the latter are in the receded position. Overhanging the belts are keepers, as guides or flanges 39, conforming in contour generally with the surfaces 37 and 38, so that as the belts move the boxes or covers are fed along the troughs 37 and over the curved faces thereof, being kept on the belts and curved portion of the tracks by the over hanging keepers. The boxes and covers are placed on the belts by operators, and the feeding plies of the belts are continued sufficiently over the curved face 28 of the trough to give. a positive movement to the boxes. to drive them into position whence they: will readily drop bygravity in front of the respective abutments 16 and 17. In order to drive the belts the rollers 36 are provided with grooved pulleys 40 joined by a cross belt 41, one of the pulleys 40 being in turn driven by a belt 42 from a grooved pulley 43 on a main driving shaft 44, which latter may be coupled, by any suitable form of clutch, to a main driving pulley 45. The shaft 10 is provided with a large pinion 46 meshing with a smaller pinion 47 carried by the main driving shaft 44.

As the boxes and covers fall to position in front of the respective abutments, it is important to center them so that, for instance, the plane of the neck 20 shall be inside of the plane of the flange of the cover 19, in order that, when the abutments assume the position shown in Fig. 4, the lateral faces of the neck and flange shall be in different planes closely adjacent vertically, and in proper position to be received, the one within the other in telescoped relation. The centering in a vertical plane is sufficiently effected by the fact that the boxes and covers lie at angles to each other, so that the outer edge of the neck, at the bottom, escapes the outer edge of the cover. To provide for the lateral centering there is a guide or plate 48 upstanding from the bed 1 and fixed thereto, and a movable plate 49, the boxes being received between these plates. The movable plate 49 is swiveled to a reciprocatory member or plate 50 having a pin 4 engaging a slot in one arm of a bell crank lever 51, the other arm of the lever 51 being pivotally connected to an adjustable connecting rod 52 guided in loops 53 on the bed plate, the opposite end of the rod 52 having an anti-friction roller 54 which coiiperates with a cam 55 on the shaft 11. The cam 55 is so shaped and timed that it causes the plate 49 to move inwardly and press the box elements transversely to the direction of the reciprocatory path of approaching move-- ment of the abutments, and against the fixed plate 48, thus laterally centering them. The construction of this centering mechanism is such that the box elements from the conveyers freely enter between the centering plates when the plates are spaced apart, and thereafter these plates perform their centering operation and retain their centering position during the assembly of the particular box and cover in position. As soon as assembly has been effected the cam 55 passes out of contact with the roller 54, and a spring 56 connected to the rod 52 and to the frame, withdraws the plate 49 from inner centering position. The swivel connection between plates 49 and 50 enables the plate 49 to oscil late slightly about the swivel axis to accommodate itself to the side of the box element operated upon.

Just before the completion of the insertion of the edge of the box in the cover, it is desirable to ease into the cover the side last to be inserted, and for this purpose means are provided for pressing or deflecting inwardly a portion of such side of the box; In the embodiment illustrated the portion last to be inserted is the upper side of the neck, Fig. 5 showing this side in position about to be inserted. The numeral 57 represents a box press element or deflector which is disposed to press against the upper side of the box and deflect this side inwardly prior to theinsertion thereof in the box. The deflector in the present embodiment comprises a roller mounted in a yoke 58 fulcrumed at 59 on the opposite sides of the stationary guide 4 and having a tail piece 60 carrying an anti-friction roller 61 adapted to cotiperate with an abrupt cam 62 carried by one of the slides 5. The plates 48 and 49 are cut away, as at 63, to permit the deflector to operate on the box elements. When the box elements assume position as shown in Fig. 5, with the upper side of the box about to be inserted in the cover, the cam 62 will contact the roller 61 and cause the deflector to descend and deflect or curve the upper side of the box inwardly, whereby it will be eased into the cover upon further approaching movement of the abutments, as explained.

During the operation of assembly of the covers with the boxes the centering element 49 holds the box elements in proper position in a lateral plane. When this centering device is relieved of operation by thepassage of the cam 55 beyond the roller 54, it is desirable to positively press the assembled box elements toward the passageway 23, andthe deflector is utilized for this purpose, the cam 62 being designed to preserve the pressure of the deflector on the box elements for an instant after the relief of said centering device and thus start the boxes down toward the passageway 23. Furthermore, it is desirable to support the partially assembled box elements against the pressure of the de fleeting means While said means is deflecting the upper side of the box for easement into its cover. The lateral centering device referred to may ofl er some resistance to the 115 downward movement of the box in opposi tion to the deflecting means, but means are also provided for positively supporting the partially assembled box elements against the pressure of the deflecting means until said 120 upper side of the box enters its cover. To this end one of the abutments, as the abutment 17, is provided with an extended portion 64 playing in a recess 65 in the bed plate, said extended portion having a projection 66 against which the lower side of the cover 19 may rest and be retained at a predetermined point in the path of the abutment. As the abutments move from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, the boxes slide on the faces 21 and :22. The initial insertion having been effected, the deflector 57 operates and the downward movement of the partially assembled elements under the influence of the deflector is restrained by the projection 66, the boxes either dropping by gravity onto the projection 66 or being pushed to position thereagainst by the deflector.

After a box has been completely inserted in a cover it descends through the passageway 28 between guides 67 onto a platform 68 and in front of a reciprocatory plunger 69. The plunger 69 is designed to move the boxes one by one out of the pathway of succeeding boxes coming from the assembly mechanism, and reciprocatory movements for this purpose are given the plunger 69 by a rod 7 O pivotally connected to a rock lever 71 fulcrumed at 7 2 on a frame bracket 73, the rock lever having an anti-friction roller 74 coperating with the cam 75 on the shaft 11, the cam serving to move the plunger 69 to deliver the boxes and a spring 76 being employed to retract this plunger. The plunger 69 pushes the boxes into a trackway preferably composed of a series of angle bars 77 spirally arranged relative to each other so as to turn the boxes on their axes and to position them in a more convenient manner for subsequent utilization.

The operation of thedevice will be largely obvious from the foregoing description, but may be briefly referred to as follows:

From suitable sources of supply the operators place boxes and covers, open face up, upon the endless belts, at the outer portions of the trackway where the endless belts are horizontal, as illustrated. Movement of the belts carries the box elements toward the proximate ends of the trackways, the keepers 39 serving to retain the box elements in position as they pass down over the curved portion of the trackways. Due to the curvature of the trackway and the keepers, there may be such frictional resistance to the free movement of the box over the curved surface under the influence of gravity as to prevent the free movement of the box elements in the curved portion. Hence the upper ply of the belt passes for some distance over the curved surface of the trackway, and in this wise the traction of the belt is made effective to a point from which the box elements will freely gravitate to the assembly mechanism. A box and a cover will assume position in front of the abutments 16 and 17, the, boxes being supported by the inclined faces 32 of the bed and by the proximate faces of the abutments, said abutments comprising plates of an area somewhat smaller than that of the boxes and covers. As soon as the boxes and covers have been received between the abutments, the centering plate 49 moves inwardly so as to laterally center the box relative to the cover, and thereupon the abutments make their approaching move ment and assume the position shown in Fig. 4, with the neck of the box inserted inthe cover at its lower edge. In this position, the dog 25 will have come into contact with the upturned portion 27 of the stop and further rectilinearinward movement of the lower ends of the abutments will be prevented, or will be very slight. The slides 5, however, will continue their inward movement, with the result that the abutnients will turn on their pivotal axes 24, and approach parallel position. Before complete parallelism is assumed, however, the deflector 57 will operate and bend the upper side .of the box so as to case it into the cover. lVhen this bending takes place, the box elements will have assumed the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the cover is supported by the projection of one abutment, the box being sup ported by the engagement of its neck with the cover at the lower side. Thereupon further movement of the upper ends of the abutments toward each other will complete the assembly of the box and cover. The centering plate 49 is then operated to relieve the lateral pressure on the box elements, and

the deflector 57 V will then operate as a press member to start the boxes downwardly through the passageways 23 and onto the platform 68 as soon as the recession of the abutments permit, from which latter position the boxes will be moved out of the path of succeeding boxes by the plunger 69. The slides 5 not only serve as carrying members for the abutments, but also provide means for preventing the feed of succeeding box elements between the abutments when the abutments are operating to assemble two previously fed elements. To do this the slides 5, as they make their approaching movement, become interposed in the path of the boxes from the supply means, so that the succeeding box elements are upheld by the upper faces of said slide.

Thus by the above described construction are accomplished, among others, all of the objects hereinbefore referred to.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mat ter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Y

It is also to be understood that the language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention,

which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, devices adapted to support a box and a cover with the planes of their peripheral edges at an angle to each other, means adapted to reciprocate said devices and cause relative translatory approaching movement between said box and said cover to effect the insertion of an edge of said box within said cover while said planes are at an angle to each other, means adapted to decrease the angular relationship between said planes after said insertion and effect the insertion of the remainder of the edge of said box in said cover, means adapted to deflect inwardly the portion of said last mentioned edge opposite said first mentioned edge so as to ease said last mentioned edge into said cover, and means adapted to automatically deliver a box and a cover to the supporting devices, respectively.

:2. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, pivotally movable devices adapted to support a box and a cover with the planes of their peripheral edges at an angle to each other,nieans' adapted to reciprocate said devices and cause relative approaching movement between said box and said cover to effect the insertion of an edge of said box within said cover while said planes are at an angle to each other, means adapted to cause said devices to move on their pivotal axes to decrease the angular relationship between said planes after said insertion and effect the insertion of the remainder of the edge of said box in said cover, means adapted to deflect inwardly the portion of said last mentioned edge opposite said first mentioned edge so as to ease-said last mentioned edge into said cover, means adapted to automatically deliver a box and a cover to the supporting devices, respectively, and means adapted to center the box and cover in planes transverse to that of said approaching movement and prior to said first mentioned insertion. 3. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, pivotally movable devices adapted to support a box and a cover with the planes of their'peripheral edges at an angle to each other, means adapted to reciprocate said devices and cause relative translatory approaching movement between said box and said cover to effect the insertion of an edge of said box within said cover while said planes are at an angle to each other, means adapted to decrease the angular relationship between said planes after said insertion and effect the insertion of the remainder of the edge of saidbox in said cover, means adapted to deflect inwardly the portionof said last 'mentionededge opposite maintain pressure combination,

said first mentioned edge so as to case said last inentloned edge into said cover, and means connected to one of said devices adapted to support the partially, assembled box elements againstthe pressure ofsaid' de fleeting means until said last mentioned edge enters the cover. i 4. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, devices adapted to s support a box and a cover With the planes of their peripheral edges at an angle to each other, means adapted to cause relative approaching movement between said box and said cover to effect the insertion of an edge of said box Withinsaid cover while said planes are at an angle to each other, means adapts to decrease the angular relationship between said planes after said insertion and effect the insertion of the remainder of the edge of said box in said cover, means adapted to deflect inwardly the portion of said last mentioned edge opposite said first men-V tloned edge so as to ease said last mentioned the box and cover in planes transverse to that of said approaching movement and prior to said first mentioned insertion, means adapted to operate said centering means to relieve the assembled box elements from cooperation therewith, and means adapted to of said deflecting means on the box elements during said relieving operation.

5. box covering machine comprising, in combination, a pair of box element supporting abutments,- slides on which said abutments are mounted, means adapted to move said slides to cause said abutments to approach and'recede from each other, a bed on which said box elements are moved by said abutments, and means adapted automatically to feed boxes and covers onto said bed between said abutments/ 6. A box covering machine comprising, in a pair of box element supportmg abutments, slides on which said abutments are mounted, means adapted to move said slides to cause proach and recede from each other, and a bed on which said box elements are moved by said abutments, said bed having inclined faces against which box elements lie in certam positions of said abutments.

7. box covering machine comprising, in combination, a pair of box element supportmg abutments, slides on which said abutments are mounted, means adapted to move said slides to cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, a bed on which said box elements are moved by said abutments, said bed having an opening opposite which said box elements are moved by said abutments.

8. A box covering machine comprising, in

combination, a pair of box element supportedge into said cover, means adapted to center said abutments to apving abutments, slides on which said abutments are mounted, means adapted to move said slides to cause said abutments to ap proach and recede from each other, and a 'bed on which said box elements are moved by said abutments, said bed having inclined faces against whichbox elements lie in cering abutments, slides on which said abut- -ments are mounted, and means adapted to move said slides to cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, said abutments having arcuate movements in planes parallel to the paths of the abutments produced by said slides.

10. A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a pair of box element supporting abutments, slides on which said abutments are mounted, means adapted to move said slides to cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, said abutments havin arcuate movements in planes parallel to the paths of the abutments produced by said slides, and stops adapted to cot-perate with said abutments to efi'cct said arcuate movements in one direction.

11. A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a pair of box element supporting abutments, slides on which said abutments are mounted, means adapted to move said slides to causevsaid abutments to approach and recede from each other, said abutments having arcuate movements in planes parallel to the paths of the abutments produced by said slides, stops adapted to co.- operate with said abutments to effect said arcuate movements in one direction, and re silient means to effect arcuate movements of said abutments in the opposite direction.

12. A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a reciprocatory slide supported thereby, a box element supporting abutment pivoted on said slide, a dog on said abutment, a stop in the path of said dog, and a second box element supportmg abutment toward and from which said first-mentioned abutment is moved by said slide, said stop being disposed to cooperate with said dog to effect pivotal movement of said first-mentioned abutment at a predetermined point in its reciprocatory path.

13. A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a reciprocatory slide supported thereby, a box element supportii'lg abutment pivoted on said slide, a dog on said abutment, a stop in the path of said dog, and a second box element supporting abutment toward and from which said first-mentioned abutment is moved by said teaaoia slide, said stop being disposed to cooperate with said dog' to efiect pivotal movement of said first-mentioned. abutment at a predetermined point in its reciprocatory path, one of said abutments having a projection adapted to retain a box element thereon at a predetermined point in the path of the abutment.

14, A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a reciprocatory slide supported thereby, a box element supporting abutment pivoted on said slide, a dog on said abutment, a spring interposed between said abutment and said slide tending to turn the abutment on its pivotal axis, a stop in the path of said dog adapted to turn said abutment in opposition to said spring, and a second box element supporting abutment toward and from which said firstmentioned abutment is moved by said slide, said stop being disposed to cooperate with said dog to effect pivotal movement of said first-mentioned abutment at a predetermined point in its reciprocatory path.

15. A box covering machine comprising, a

in combination, a frame, a reciprocatory slide supported thereby, a box element support ng abutment pivoted on said slide, a

dog on said abutment, a stop in the'path of said dog, a second box element supporting abutment toward and from which said firstmentioned abutment is moved by said slide, said stop being disposed to cooperate with said dog to effect pivotal movement of said first-mentioned abutment at a predetermined point in its reciproeatory path, and a box element press member disposed to operate transversely of the reciprocatory path of said abutment on a line between said abutments.

16. A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a reciprocatory slide supported thereby, a box element supporting abutment pivoted on said slidepa dog on said abutment, a stop in the path of said dog, a second box element supporting abutment toward and from which said firstmentioned abutment is moved by said slide, said stop being disposed to cooperate with said dog to effect pivotal movement of said first-mentioned abutment at a predetermined point in its reciprocatory path, one of said abutments having a projection adapted to retain a box element thereon at a predetermined point in the path of the abutment, and a box element press member disposed to operate transversely of the reciprocatory path of said abutment toward and from said projection.

17 A box covering machine comprising, in combination, a frame, a reciproeatory slide supported thereby, a box element supporting abutment pivoted 011 said slide, a dog on said abutment, a stop in the path of said. dog, and. a second box element supportfirst-mentioned abutment having means adapted to limit its pivotal movement in one direction.

18. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a pair'of pivotally supported box element supporting abutments, means to cause the supporting faces of said abutments to occupy planes at an angle to each other, means adapted to cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, means adapted to limit the approach of the pivotal axes of said abutments, and means whereby the approach of said abutments causes them to turn on their pivotal axes and approach parallel position relatively to each other.

19. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a pair of pivotally supported box element supporting abutment-s, means to cause the supporting faces of said abutments to occupy planes at an angle to each other, meansadapted to cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, means adapted to limit the approach of the pivotal axes of said abutments, means whereby the approach of said abutments causes them to turn on their pivotal axes and approach parallel position relatively to each other, and a box element supporting-surface opposite which said abut-' ments move. 7 I

20. In an apparatus of the character clescribed, in combination, a pair offpivotally supported box element supporting abutments, means to cause the supporting faces of said abutments to occupy planes at an angle to each other, means adaptedto cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, means adapted to limit the approach of the pivotal axes of said abutments, means whereby the approach of said abutments causes them to turn on their pivotal axes and approach parallel position relatively to each other, and a box element supporting surface opposite which said abutments move, said surface having a box passageway intermediate .the ultimate approached position of said abutments.

21. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, in combination, a pair of pivotally supported box element supporting abutments, means to cause the supporting faces of said abutments to occupy planes at an angle to each other, means adapted to cause said abutments to approach and recede from each other, means adapted to limit the approach of the pivotal axes of said abutments, means whereby the approach of said abutments causes them to turn on their pivotal axes and approach parallel position relatively to each other, and a box element supporting surface opposite which said abutments move, said surface having a box passageway intermediate the ultimate approached position of said abutments, one of said abutments having an extension supporting a projection on which a box element on said last mentioned abutment is adapted to lie, said supporting surface having a recess to receive said extension.

22. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a pair of pivotally supported box element supporting abutments, means to cause the supporting faces of said abutments to occupy planes at an angle to each other, means adapted to cause said abutments to approach and reeede from each other, ,means adapted to limit the approach of the pivotal axes of said abutments, means whereby the approach of said abutments. causes them to turn on their pivotal axes and approach parallel position relatively to each other, and means adapted automatically to deliver boxes and covers to said supporting surface opposite said abutments, respectively, when said abutments occupy the said relatively angular position.

23. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, means adapted to assemble a box and a cover in telescopic relation, and mean adapted to automatically deliver boxes and covers to said assembly means comprlsing an endless box element feed belt and a curved track on which said belt moves, a keeper overhanging said track,

said track extending beyond said belt tow rd said assembly means to provide a portion on which the box elements slide to said assembly mechanism.

24:. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, means adapted to assemble a box and a co'ver'intelescopic relation comprising a pair of box element supporting abutments, means adapted to reciprocate one of said abutments to cause it to approach and recede from the other, and a track over which said box elements move to the assembly means, said track being disposed in alinement with said movable abutment, when the latter is in said receded position.

25. In an apparatus of the character de- 7 scribed, in combination, means adapted to assemble a box and a cover in telescopic relation comprising a pair of box element supporting abutments,means adapted to cause one of said abutments to approach and recede from the other, a track over which box elements move to the assembly means, said track being disposed in alinement with said movable abutment, when the latter is in said receded position, and means movable with said abutment to prevent the delivery of a box element to the movable abutment when the latter abutment is in approached position.

26. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, means adapted to assemble a box and a cover in telescopic relation comprising a pair of box element supporting abutments, means adapted to reciprocate one of said abutments to cause it to approach and recede from the other, a pair of centering members, means adapted to automatically deliver box elements successively to position between said abutments and said centering members, and means adapted to move one of said centering members away from the other to permit the reception of a box element therebetween.

27. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, means adapted to assemble a box and a cover in telescopic relation comprising a pair of box element supporting abutments, means adapted to cause one of said abutments to approach and recede from the other, a pair of centering members, means adapted to automatically deliver box elements successively to position between said abutments and said centering members, means adapted to move one of said centering members away from the other to permit the reception of a box element therebetween, and means movable with said movable abutment adapted to prevent the delivery of a box element to between said abutments and between said centering means when said movable abutment is in said approached position.

28. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, means adapted to assemble a box and a cover in telescopic relation comprising a pair of box element supporting abutments, means adapted to cause one of said abutments to approach and re nesaom cede from the other, a pair of centering members, .means comprising a curved trackway and an endless belt supported thereby adapted to automatically deliver box elements successively to position between said abutments and said centering members, means adapted to move one of said centering members .away from the other to permit the reception of a box element therebetween, and means movable with said movable abutment adapted to prevent the delivery of a box element to between said abutments and between said centering means when said movable abutment is in said approached position.

29. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, devices adapted to support a box and a cover with the planes of their peripheral edges at an angle to each other, means adapted to reciprocate said devices and cause relative translatory movement between said box and said cover to eii'ect the insertion of an edge of said box within said cover while said planes are at an angle to each other, means adapted to decrease the angular relationship between said planes after said insertion and eflect the insertion of the remainder of the edge of said box in said cover, a stationary and a movable plate between which the box and cover are assembled, and means adapted to move the movable plate toward said stationary plate in a plane transverse to that of said approaching movement and prior to said first mentioned insertion to laterally center the box and cover.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. MILLER. Witnesses:

A. H. DREUX, H. G. ABRAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

